A Life on the Waves
by cloudyailin
Summary: A mix of the typical plot bunnies including a girl from the future, Jack before he lost the Pearl, and the life of Jack's pirating niece. Criticism encouraged.


"Is your captain here? My name is Miss Pultley. I've arranged passage for myself and my charge."

Bartholomew looked over Miss Pultley's charge with more than a little curiosity. "I heard that two ladies would be accompanying us to the Caribbean. You paid a pretty price for it too. But I wasn't aware that one of the ladies would be shackled."

"That's just until we're safely out of England. I don't want to lose her."

"Ah," Bartholomew answered, wisely not saying anymore. He looked at the girl with interest, she grinned innocently up at him and he couldn't help but smile back. "Well then, I'll bring you to Captain Merriam."

000

"Is there any way that I can possibly borrow your knife?" the girl asked quietly with her eyes apparently on the sight of the busy ship's crew.

The man standing at the rail smoking his pipe turned to her in surprise. A highborn lady, deigning to speak to a mere sailor? That was new to him. "You're not going to be able to pick your way out of those with a knife," Andrew answered. "I know from experience, Miss Katherine."

"As do I. And the name's Sarah. I'm not worried about the irons. I can swim in those and have them removed when I get to the nearby tavern. But I will not be able to swim in this dress. Therefore, if you would just lend me your knife for a moment, I will be out of your hair and you won't have to deal with me or Miss Pultley on a long voyage to the Caribbean."

"There's money to be made in your passage for us."

"I will have my men bring you half again the price of my passage within an hour of my escape."

"Your men?"

"Aye. You need only hand me a knife and consider us to have an agreement."

"Even if I were to trust that you could pay such a price and it would be given to me, it would not be my choice to make."

"You could get your vote from the crew. Surely they would appreciate a share."

"Captain Merriam made a deal. Myself and the rest of the crew honor his deals. Sorry, Miss Katherine."

"It's Sarah. Thank you for your time. I'll find some other way."

"You think I should have taken the deal?" Andrew asked his fellow seaman. "I think she's bound to get off this ship one way or another."

"And it's not in our contract to help retrieve her if she does escape," Stephen replied. "There's little in it for us if she escapes on her own steam. But Captain made a deal."

Both men glanced over at the young woman who stood along the rail, exactly out of the way of any activity. Most people wouldn't be able to find such a spot, but she had done so perfectly. With her hands still in the shackles, she leaned comfortably on the rail and looked out over the wharves and dockyard of London.

Suddenly, her wandering gaze had become raptly fixed on something nearby. Andrew glanced over and saw a sailing man walking along a pier, obviously just having left one of the ships docked there. He had the same look as many sailors did, one who had just been turned down for work. Katherine Lain cupped her hands around her mouth and called loudly, "Jacob!"

The man jerked and looked around wildly for the source of the voice which he obviously recognized. He caught sight of the woman on the rail of the _Sea's Mistress_ and he jogged down the dock towards her. "Sarah, where in hell have you been? Are you alright?"

She held her shackled hands as far apart as she could to show them to him. "My mother got me. She's trying to send me to the Caribbean."

"Are you going to go?"

She shrugged in an exaggerated way that emphasized her uncertainty in this matter. "I don't want to leave you all here."

"We've got our pay, Sarah. That'll last us for awhile and we can find other suitable opportunities. Nothing as good as we had, of course."

"I'm real sorry about what happened, Jacob. Tell the men that, will you?"

"It wasn't your fault, Sarah. You did better than any of us would have done. Real admirable. You could stay, you know. It wouldn't take us long to get another ship, few more in the crew."

"Jacob!" another voice called and five men came down the dock. Jacob pointed up to the deck of the Sea's Mistress and they saw Sarah standing there.

"Sarah! You're alive! Are we going sailing again?" Isaiah asked eagerly.

There was a quick conversation between the men on the dock as Jacob explained the situation. "The men are just down at the tavern, we could come up and get you," Zachariah offered.

"Hell, just jump and we'll fish you out!" Robert called.

"I don't know," she told them. "I'm kinda getting tired of Europe. They say there's good things to be had in the Caribbean."

"Miss Katherine!" a voice suddenly shrieked and the governess hurried to the rail that her charge was leaning out from to shout down at the men on the dock. Sarah turned to look at the woman, then turned back to grin at the men. As Miss Pultley came close, Sarah bent down to lift the woman up and then toss her over the rail. She screamed long and loud as she fell towards the water which she hit with a loud splash.

"Man overboard!" the cry went out from a sailor in the rigging of the _Sea's Mistress_. The men on the dock laughed as they watched the woman flailing in her long, heavy dress. Several men on the deck of the ship went to the railing but no one jumped in to save the woman. Sarah doubted many of them could swim as it was.

Andrew stepped closer to Sarah. "Can she swim?" he asked.

Sarah was looking down with a smile. "Throwing her over would have been pretty pointless if she could."

Andrew sighed and climbed over the rail to dive into the water below. As he surfaced he grabbed Miss Pultley around the waist and dragged her along as he swam towards the dock. One of Sarah's men standing there reached down to haul Miss Pultley up and Andrew climbed up after her.

"Alright there, lady?" Robert asked with a grin that showed a gold-capped tooth.

Miss Pultley hurriedly pulled away from the men who only laughed at her fear. She shivered as she hurried back towards the gangplank onto the ship.

"Hey, mate," Sebastian said to Andrew who got to his feet to follow Miss Pultley. Andrew stopped and looked at him. "Do us a favor and bring this to Sarah?" he asked as he held out a worn tricorn hat with green piping trim. "And you take good care of our Captain," he ordered.

"Captain?" Andrew asked in surprise. "Her?"

The men laughed and Benjamin answered with a grin. "Ah, don't let the pretty dress and the sweet smile fool you. She duels, shoots, and works as well as two men. And she's as devilish as the sea."

Andrew took the hat and went up to give it to the young woman who put it on with a dramatic flourish. "You know where to find me!" she yelled down.

"Don't be surprised if we show up in the Caribbean, Sea Dog!" Isaiah told her as the five men walked back down the dock towards the streets. As Sarah watched her old crew walk away she heard the faint sound of singing and suddenly smiled. The wind pushed the voices towards her ears and she faintly heard her very favorite song of all. "Sea Dog Sarah has her trusty crew, watch out for these pirates whatever you do, they pillage and plunder and lay all to waste, every lovely thing a pirate does best! Every pirate has his captain, but they all want this one, and her name is Sea Dog Sarah! Beware the crew of Sea Dog Sarah!"

000

"Captain Merriam, you'll want to replace a couple of your starboard lines before we sail. They're rotting through and probably won't last a week."

"Isn't there something you can do to occupy your time, Miss Katherine? Embroidery, reading, creating epic poems?"

"I prefer to be called Sarah and I find such activities to be terribly boring. I do like to know that the ship I'm going to be spending a month aboard is seaworthy."

"I assure you, Miss Katherine that my ship is seaworthy and one of the best you'll find on the ocean. I've made the crossing from England seven times on this ship. I do not appreciate the doubts of a girl."

"Well, please remember to check on the starboard lines, Captain. And thank you for your time and patience."

"This is going to be a long trip," the Captain muttered.

000

"Are you coming home with us?" a tiny voice asked and Sarah looked down to find a young boy standing in beside her and peering over the rail as she was.

"Who are you?" Sarah asked curiously. She hadn't seen him before and it didn't seem that he was old enough to just wander aboard a ship. He couldn't have been more than seven years old.

"Orrin Merriam," he said as he played with the loose end of a rope in front of him.

"You're the Captain's son?"

"Yes."

"Hmm. I wasn't aware that he had children on board."

"It's just me this time."

"Do you have brothers or sisters that he brings?"

"Sometimes. They're at home keeping Mama company."

"Ah. What do you do around here?"

"Nothin'. I mostly learn my letters and numbers. Papa wants me to be smart so I can help with the logs."

"Do you like that?"

"It's boring. I like listening to stories."

"Do the men tell good stories?"

"Yeah. They tell pirate stories and ghost stories and sometimes they sing songs too."

"That sounds very nice."

"Do you know any stories?"

"Yes, I do. But I can't tell any until we're sailing."

"Okay. Is the crazy lady coming with us too?"

"Miss Pultley? I'm afraid so. Did you already meet her?"

"Yeah. She told me to be quiet."

"You don't have to listen to what she says. She's my governess and even I don't."

"Why is she your governess?"

"Because my mother's afraid I'll run away and be a pirate."

Orrin laughed. "That's silly. You're a girl."

"Oh, girl's can be pirates too. Haven't you ever heard the tales of Sea Dog Sarah?"

Orrin shook his head slowly. "No."

"When we're sailing, remind me to tell you. They are good stories. Why did you call Miss Pultley crazy?"

"The men said she was."

"Good. I'm glad someone else hates her."

"I do too."

"Well, we won't have to put up with her for very long. I have a feeling that she's going to be locked in a crate and shipped home very soon."

Orrin giggled and Sarah smiled at him. He didn't know that she wasn't joking. "I'm kinda hungry," Sarah announced. "Do you think you could show me to the galley?"

"Yeah. Come on." He reached up to grab Sarah's hand and was startled to see the irons. "Why do you have those?" he asked bluntly, tapping on the chain.

"I told you. My mother's afraid I'll run away and be a pirate."

Orrin's eyes widened as if he was starting to believe her. "Come on," he said, grabbing onto her right hand even with the irons. "It's this way."

The boy led the way below deck and into a surprisingly well-lit and spacious kitchen. "Wow," Sarah had to say. "This is nice."

"Thank you," she heard and she turned to see a man in the corner unpacking a barrel of fresh vegetables. "You must be our passenger. Miss Katherine, the men said?"

"Yes, but I prefer Sarah."

"Sarah it is. I be the cook, name's Peter, but the crew just calls me Cassidy. Why are you in irons, if you don't mind my asking?"

"My mother doesn't want me running off to join the pirates," Sarah answered. Cassidy returned with a condescending smile. Sarah just smiled sweetly back. She didn't care if he believed her or not. She had put up with worse in her life than the skepticism of a cook. "Do you think I could have a quick bite to eat, sir?" Sarah asked with more politeness than she ever used. "Just a slice of bread if you can spare it? I'm ever so hungry."

"Of course, dearie. You look like you don't eat enough as it is. Have some meat and cheese to go with it."

"Oh, thank you, sir. That's ever so kind of you."

"Get along now. I've work needs doing."

Sarah followed Orrin back onto the deck where she sat back down in her spot with an indelicate thump, unconcerned about what condition it would put her dress in.

"Orrin, are there any animals aboard this ship?" she asked as she nibbled at her large chunk of bread.

"Only the goats. They're no fun."

"There's a man down there selling kittens," she told him with a nod towards the edge. Orrin immediately stood up to peer over the rail and down into the street at the man with the wooden crate. "It wouldn't be hard to sneak one aboard. If you think you could get off the ship and then back on without anyone seeing you." She kept her voice low and secretive to keep the boy's interest.

"I don't have any money," Orrin whispered.

Sarah reached along her leg under her dress to the purse that was sewn into the cloth. She pulled out a few copper coins and handed them to the boy. "Cats are good company for a boy. Go ahead and get one. I'll look out for you from here. Be sneaky."

"Alright."

Sarah watched from the corner of her eye as he snuck off down the gangplank. No one was watching him. She carefully stood up and shook out her dress as she sat down on the rail, using the side of her eye to follow the tiny shape that went down into the street for a moment, then hurried back towards the ship. Sarah sat back down as Orrin snuck back over.

"Did you get it?"

He nodded eagerly at her and opened his jacket to show her the little body nestled there. "It's warm. And tiny."

Sarah shoved a pinch of the meat into the jacket and felt tiny fingers bite in and steal it from her. "You have to feed it every day." Sarah told Orrin seriously as she pinched off another bit of meat and let him feed the cat. "It'll need lots of food. Give it bits of good, soft meat. If you don't, it'll die, you understand?" She held most of her meat out to him and stared him in the eye to see how much he understood.

He nodded eagerly as he took the meat from her. "I'll take good care of it."

"And don't let anyone see it until we're away from land. Don't show it to them if you don't trust them. Some people don't like cats," she warned.

Sarah sat on the deck with Orrin beside her, both of them silent as work went on around them. Orrin's shirt was moving ever so slightly, but it was unnoticeable to the casual eye. Sarah would be more likely to attract attention at any rate; she was focused on her irons which she was rattling loud enough to be heard over the movement of the men. Many of them turned their attention to her as they passed by. She was looking them over for any weaknesses, turning her hands this way and that to see every inch of metal.

Finally she sighed and let her hands fall back into her lap. "What's wrong?" Orrin asked.

For lack of better company, Sarah turned to glance at him and then answered. "I want out of these blasted things," she told him. "They are bothersome."

"Do they hurt?"

"Not yet. Another hour and they'll begin to rub most uncomfortably into my skin. I know that from experience."

"You've been in irons before?"

"Aye. Quite a few times. But experience doesn't stop me from being bothered by this imprisonment. They're not exactly good quality ones either."

"Where's the key at?"

"Miss Pultley has it."

"Are there any other ways of opening them?"

"I had a blacksmith file a pair off once. Broke my hand once for another set. There was the time I found a good lockpick. Enough oil and sometimes they'll slide off. These aren't on very tight either."

"Where could we get oil?"

"Ever taken a lamp apart?"

"No."

"I'll show you how. Go get me that one there."

000

"That there in the bottom where the wick ends is the bulb with the oil in it," Sarah pointed out as someone dropped with a thud to the deck in front of her. Sarah didn't look up as she opened up the lamp.

"I'll thank you not to be corrupting the captain's son," the sailor said.

"You're welcome," Sarah answered boldly still without deigning to look at her confronter.

"I was being sarcastic, lass."

She grinned and looked up to find one of the older men of the crew who was still in fine physical condition. "So was I. I'm no stranger to ships nor their crews nor their business. I have no doubt that I'll not be the first person aboard with corrupting business."

His eyes clearly narrowed at her. "And what makes you so sure of that particular bit of knowledge?"

"My vision must be better than yours," Sarah answered as she fiddled with the lamp some more, her gaze back on her work instead of the sailor. "I've seen two brands since I came on board. I've seen scars from some real fighting. I saw your wardroom when I went below deck. Pistols and swords galore. And some black cloth that looked like it may have been the Jolly coat of arms itself. And again I repeat the fact that I have known many sailors. No common merchant sailor shows as much individuality and defiance in dress and mannerisms as does a sailor who constantly steps over the line of the law and into definitively darker waters."

"You've a quick tongue on you, lass."

"And a quicker mind. By the way, Miss Pultley doesn't know of such things yet. I might suggest it stays that way unless you want a very desperate, crazed woman on your hands. It wouldn't bother me much. I think it would make me a far lesser threat in her mind. And she knows that I intend on throwing her over at every opportunity that presents itself."

"We'll be needing our oil on this trip," the sailor said as he reached down and took the lamp from her.

"It was worth a try," she said with a shrug but she didn't even object as he returned the lamp to its place on the mast. "When will we be getting underway?"

"It'll be at least another two hours. I'd say to stay out of the sun but you appear to be no stranger to it."

Sarah just smiled. "Very true." She turned her head slightly as a shrill voice reached her ears. She groaned slightly. "That wench needs to die," she muttered as Miss Pultley came back onto the deck in fresh clothes, though her hair was still quite wet.

"Miss Katherine!" the woman demanded as she stomped over.

"Trying to make holes in the deck, Miss Pultley?" Sarah chided. "Ladies never stomp."

"I'll tell you what a lady does and does not do, Miss Katherine Sarah Lain. I am the governess here."

"And a fine one you'll make someday," Sarah agreed. "I'm very sure of it."

"What you did to me goes beyond rude! That was simply despicable."

"Me? What did I do?"

"My goodness, you pushed me right into the water, you horrid girl!"

"Oh. Are you sure that wasn't just your lack of sea legs? You should work on your balance if you're going to be on a ship for the next month or more. You know, sometimes these ocean crossings can take a very long, long time. If the winds aren't with us, it could be months. Months on this tiny ship with so many dirty, lonely men. Are you sure that you can handle yourself in these conditions, Miss Pultley? This isn't a trip for the faint-hearted."

"Months, Mr. Faulkner?" Miss Pultley turned to the sailor questioningly.

"I've never been on a crossing that's taken more than two months, ma'am."

"Ah, but it's happened to many, many other ships. It's only a matter of time. And women onboard are said to be just terrible luck."

"Nonsense," Miss Pultley replied a little breathlessly.

"Oh, it's quite true. Are you sure you're ready for this?"

"I am being paid a great deal of money for your caretaking, you ungrateful girl! You should be glad that someone cares for you enough to spend so much money on your well-being!"

"That's why I'm in the irons! Oh, now I understand. Think of how long you'll have to put up with me and all these sailors, Miss Pultley. You really should work on your balance though. One would hate for you to fall in again. Or trip . . ." Sarah swung a foot out at the woman who jumped back only to trip over Sarah's other outstretched foot. The sailor quickly caught Miss Pultley who simply shrieked and pulled away from the man quicker than seemed humanely possible. The governess hurried back to her room below decks with several nervous glances back.

"I can see why you're being shipped off," Faulkner said. "If that's how you treat people."

"Me? A highborn girl treat people like that? That's simply not done, sir. I reserve my evil side for only the most deserving. Like wretches that my mother hired. I promise I will be at my absolute best behaved while on this ship."

"I won't ask how far your best behavior extends."

"I think you're a very wise man."

000

Sarah watched as England faded into the distance. She turned to the Captain who was on her left at the helm. "So, no turning back now?"

"None at all," the Captain said decisively. He didn't care if the girl was swept overboard or jumped off and started swimming back, he was not going to turn around.

Sarah turned demandingly to Miss Pultley with her shackled arms outstretched. "Uncuff me before my wrists fall off," she ordered.

Miss Pultley gingerly pulled out the keys and moved awkwardly to turn Sarah's arms to reach the keyhole. Her lips were pursed as she did this one thing that she really wished weren't necessary. The angle at which she inserted the key wasn't adequate for her to turn it and she tried to move around, attracting attention with her struggles.

"Bloody hell," Sarah complained, tugging the shackles and keys away from the woman. With one swift movement she unlocked the shackles, a trick that required some skill with the way that the keyhole was positioned so a prisoner couldn't unlock themselves easily. Sarah showed off her practice to everyone that was watching. When she was freed, she shoved the shackles at Miss Pultley. "I'm sure you'll want these for safekeeping. Now, if you'll all excuse me, I'm going to find something more comfortable to wear."

As she turned away from the stern she pulled a small knife from the bodice of her dress and cut a piece of silk cord from its neckline which she used to tie up her hair while she held the knife in her teeth. She went down the steps as she slid the knife back into its hiding place, apparently unaware of the rocking ship which she seemed to move easily with. Just before she disappeared into the cabin, she took her ragged hat out of her sash and plopped it firmly onto her head.

She was below deck for over an hour, which in itself was disconcerting. No one went looking for her though and when she returned it was indeed in a different outfit. She wore a pair of deep green breeches which looked like they had been just created from one of the layers of her discarded dress. Her top was a long linen shirt which had been part of her undergarments before she had trimmed all the lace off it. She even had found a dark blue vest that she had removed from another dress in her trunk and was now tied tightly at her chest. She still had her hair tied up with the hat covering most of it. With her thin frame, it was easy to see her as a young man if one didn't wish to look too hard.

When she returned to the main deck no one looked at her very much at all. Everyone did their best to concentrate on their work as Sarah returned to her corner of the deck and laid down with her hat covering her face.


End file.
